Darkthorn's story
''Darkthorn's story'' Shadowclan: '' ''(sorry i didnt do pelt colors, i have been feeling lazy) Leader: ''Birchstar (male) Deputy: Brackenheart (Male) Mdcat: Iceheart (female) Warriors: Darkthorn (Female) Rainpool (Female) Stormfall (male) Moonpaw Tornwhisker (male) Bramblewhisker (Male) Nighttail (Female) Rushpaw Grayflame (female) Willowpaw ''Queens: '' Streamfur (Coldkit, Dawnkit, Patchkit) Whiskerheart (Sunkit, Brightkit) Elders: Coldnose (Male) Blackfoot (Male) Chapter one ''Darkthorn woke in her nest, light shining in the warrior's den entrance. Nightpool and Grayflame were still asleep, Tornwhisker was just turning, and Rainpool was awake, grooming Stormfall's fur.She got to her paws. It was midnight. She spotted Bramblewhisker guarding camp. She layed by the entrance and began to groom her fur. "so you woke up" Bramblewhisker mewed. Her ears pirked, and she looked up. Bramblewhisker was crouching by her. "yup" she mewed. She watched him. her fur pricked up. Watching Stormfall and Rainpool made her feel lonely sometimes. The two were mates, and she liked Bramblewhisker,but she didnt know much about the cat, or did he give away any signs in his gaze. Bramblewhisker padded away to guard, and glanced at her before he sat down by camp's entrance. He was a great tom. She wished he liked her, but she couldnt tell if he did. Why would he like someone not even clanborn and like me? she always asked herself. Darkthorn opened her eyes. She looked around, she wasnt in her nest, she was laying by the den. She had fallen asleep there. She looked up, patrols were being sorted. brackenheart called. "Bramblewhisker, lead the border patrol. Take Rainpool, Tornwhisker and Darkthorn with you" he meowed. Darkthorn scrambled to her paws. She liked to be with Bramblewhisker, but on a patrol with him or around him made her feel uncomturable. She stayed away from him, not avoiding him, but didnt talk to him as much as she could. Bramblewhisker knew she wasnt avoiding him cause she didnt like him at all, but Rainpool told her she couldnt stay away from him forever. She remembered Rainpool saying "You cant stay away from him forever, you know." she mewed in Darkthorn's ear. "I spoke up" she flicked her tail to Stormfall, and padded away. "Darkthorn!" Rainpool called to her. "Are you coming?" Darkthorn raced after them. "Sorry, i was distracted." she muttered, embarrasted. "I can tell" Rainpool mewed. Darkthorn followed Rainpool and Bramblewhisker, Tornwhisker trailing behind. They sniffed the air for thunderclan scent. stale. ''The patrol spayed every tree, every bush. Still no thunderclan warriors came. They padded home, not saying a word. "I guess thunderclan's become so weak they cant even put out patrols!" Tornwhisker broke the silence. "Well it is leafbare. They will be patrolling soon" Darkthorn pointed out. "Probably shocked from the sudden frost." Bramblewhisker meowed. "Darkthorn," Rainpool whispered in her ear. Darkthorn looked at her. "Grayflame has her eyes on Bramblewhisker, to" she whispered. It was true. Grayflame liked Bramblewhisker as much as Darkthorn did, but her and Rainpool were close friends, if they werent Rainpool wouldnt of told her what she knew. Darkthorn began to wonder off in thought. She had a kin in thunderclan. Darkthorn watched Bramblewhisker, pushing the thoughts out of her head. "Watch out!" Rainpool's yowl made her twist around. A cat was leaping at her, claws unsheathed. Darkthorn leaped out of the way and the cat crashed into grass. Darkthorn pinned the cat on the ground before she had a chance to get up.Rainpool Tornwhisker and Bramblewhisker raced over. "Who are you?" Bramblewhisker questioned.The cat hissed. "Who are you?" Bramblewhisker hissed. "Im Storm" she replied, hissing. "and Darkthorn dosnt belong in Windclan!" Chapter two Darkthorn stared at her. She reconized the cat. This cat took care of her when she was a kit and a loner. She never liked her choice to be a clan cat. "Darkthorn, who is this cat?" Rainpool nuzzled Darkthorn away from this cat. "she took care of me when i was a kit" Darkthorn replied in a quiet mew. Tornwhisker stepped up, hissing. "she belongs to Windclan just as much as any cat" he meowed. "she has as much right as any other cats" Storm watched Tornwhisker, eyes showing she was unconvinced. Storm's fur wasnt ruffled, it layed flat. Bramblewhisker watched storm, who was turning to Darkthorn. "Darkthorn" she meowed. "come back with me, to the forest" she meowed. Darkthorn shook her head. "I cant, i wont" she replied. Storm stared at her, then narrowed her eyes. "Darkthorn,I dont want you living with these cats anymore" she meowed. "I dont trust them" Darkthorn stared at Storm, still. "You dont." she mewed. ''"I ''do" Storm didnt turn away. "Then take me to your camp. I must speak to your leader" Storm meowed. Bramblewhisker nodded, and flicked his tail to the patrol. When they arrived at camp, cats stared at Storm. The grey loner's fur lay flat, even at the stares of all the cats. Birchstar padded out of his den. "Whose she?" he meowed, looking at Storm, who was padding to him. "Im storm,and i must talk to you" she meowed. Birchstar nodded, then looked at the patrol. "go eat" he meowed, glancing at the small fresh kill pile. Darkthorn nodded and padded off to the fresh kill pile first. Rainpool and Stormfall shared a mouse, Grayflame had a vole. Darkthorn picked a mouse from the small pile. "wanna share?" she looked over at Bramblewhisker, who hadnt decided yet. "sure" he mewed. She crouched by him, and they dug into the mouse. Darkthorn pushed the rest of the mouse to Bramblewhisker. "Im full" she meowed, looking up at the leaders den. Birchstar and Storm padded out. Birchfall sat down on high stump. "All cats old enough to catch you own prey, gather here by high stump" he meowed. ''What is Storm doing here? ''she thought as the stared at the grey she-cat. Bramblewhisker sat by Rainpool and Stormfall, Tornwhisker sat by Nighttail. Grayflame and Streamfur and whiskerheart were already in the clearing. Coldnose and Blackfur padded out, the old toms sat in the back. Birchstar flicked his tail. "This loner, Storm, will be joining Windclan" Birchstar announced. Murmers went through the crowd. "We cant tell the other clans!" Nighttail meowed."or they will think were like thunderclan" Darkthorn stared at Storm. ''Shes joining Windclan, after she tried to take me from the clan? ''Birchstar rose his tail for silence. "she will be known as Cinderfur" he meowed. Darkthorn led the patrol to the rocks. Huge rocks laying across, plenty of holes for dens. Darkthorn nodded to Nighttail and Stormfall, and the three sniffed the air. mouse den. she thought, stalking twords a tiny hole. Ducking below a rock, she stared at the den, waiting for the mouse to come out. She was carefull not to make a single sound, until a tiny pink nose popped out, sniffing. She watched it come out of the den slowly. She stalked closer to it, leaping infront of the den, she scared it where Stormfall was. She heard a pang, and padded over, Stormfall had the mouse in his jaws. "Thanks for scaring it" he mewed. Darkthorn nodded, and sniffed the air for more scent of prey. She looked at the den. There had to be more then one mouse in their, she ducked under the rock again, a mouse was already coming out. She stalked closer to it, and pounced on the tiny mouse, as it went limp, she picked it up. Darkthorn signaled the patrol and stalked away. When she returned, she carried the fresh kill to the nursery, dropping it in. "thank you" Whiskerheart mewed, and she and her kits dug into the mouse. Darkthorn padded out, looking around. She looked up at Birchstar, who was choosing who goes to the gathering. She sat by Bramblewhisker and Grayflame, and looked up. "Grayflame, Rainpool, Nighttail, Darkthorn, Bramblewhisker Cinderfur and Stormfall will go" Birchstar meowed, as soon as all the cats gathered. "can we go? Can we go?" Brightkit and Patchkit scrambled out of the nursery, Sunkit and dawnkit following. "no you can!" Streamfur scooped the kits back in the nursery. "I wanna go!" Sunkit's light mew came loudly from the nursery. Birchstar looked at the warriors. "If your going to the gathering, go rest" he meowed. Chapter three ''Darkthorn leaped down on the ''island, Nighttail and Stormfall behind her, Rainpool and Brambleflame, birchstar and Brackenheart ahead of her. Darkthorn looked down, Shadowclan and Riverclan were there. Thunderclan hadnt arrived. Darkthorn leaped down, sitting next to Troutheart and Sedgepelt from Riverclan. "Hi" Darkthorn mewed. "Hi, Darkthorn" Troutwhisker purred. "Hi" Sedgepelt, Troutheart's sister and Darkthorn's friend mewed. Troutheart liked Darkthorn, Darkthorn thought of him as a friend and ignored his purrs and comments. Darktail padded over to Darkthorn, sitting by her. "Hi" Darkthorn mewed. "hi" she mewed, watching the rest of thunderclan sit down. Swiftstar of thunderclan spoke first. "Thunderclan is running well" he meowed. "We have lost one warrior, Redpelt, though." he meowed. Ashstar of shadowclan spoke second. "Shadowclan is doing great! Despite our battle with thunderclan, we are as strong as ever" she mewed, glancing at Swiftstar, who purred. Sedgepelt leaned over and whispered in Darkthorn's ear. "I think everyone knows Shadowclan and Thunderclan have been in war, ever sense Ashstar became leader. Moons ago" she whispered, and Darkthorn nodded in agreement. Birchstar flicked his tail, pleased."enough of your wars" she meowed. "we have a new warrior, Cinderfur" he meowed, flicking his tail. Shadowclan and Thunderclan chanted her name, half-heartedly, and Riverclan did so, too. "Windclan is doing good, starclan has brought the clan a great newleaf." he meowed, and the cats murmered in agreement. "Windclan has fully recovered from the frost of leaf-bare, and i have changed deputys. Nighttail, is now a warrior again. Brackenheart is windclan's deputy!" he meowed, sitting back. "he was a good choice" she heard a murmer from a shadowclan cat, and looked at him. She knew probably all the cats agreed. Last, Willowstar, the riverclan leader stepped forward. "we have 2 new warriors, to" she meowed. "welcome Goldenwing!" she pointed to a golden she-cat, and Goldenwing fluffed her chest up, proudly. "and Ripplefur" she pointed to a redish tom. "Goldenwing! Ripplefur!" She called. She entered camp, Cinderfur next to her. She wondered if Cinderfur would get used to clan life, or leave. Cinderfur looked at Darkthorn. "Im only doing this clan life to watch you" she mumbled. "your stubborn to leave" Darkthorn turned to her. "Your stubborn when it comes to me staying" Darkthorn replied. "I have been making my own choices for awhile now" Darkthorn padded away, leaving Cinderfur alone with Rainpool. Nighttail padded over to Darkthorn. "hi" she mewed. "hi" Darkthorn swayed her tail. "Darkthorn, ive been wondering" she meowed. "Have you noticed how Tornwhisker is leaving camp every chance he has?" she mewed quieter. Darkthorn ducked her head. "kind of" she mewed. "Do you think he might be with a cat from another clan?" she mewed. Darkthorn stared at her. It could be true, he always sat by Rainstorm at gathering, he snuck out of camp the other night and he leaves camp whenever can. Could he be with the riverclan she-cat? She slowly nodded her head to Nighttail. Darkthorn and Nighttail snuck out of camp, following Tornwhisker, secretly. They had agreed to follow him tonight, to figure out if it was true. They stopped, watching him disapear in a dark hole. They slowly padded in the hole, letting Tornwhisker's scent guide them the right way. Nighttail almost tripped over a rock,and Darkthorn leaned her back on her paws. Carefully, they followed Tornwhisker until they saw light. She saw four tunnels. ''they must lead to the other clans. the thought. She saw bright water, not like Moonpool, though. Tornwhisker greeted a cat, rubbing his flank on her's. She sniffed the air. It was Riverclan. It must of been Rainstorm, she saw a dark pelted she-cat and Tornwhisker. But it wasnt Rainstorm's pelt. It was Riverclan, though. Darkthorn turned back to leave, Nighttail at tail. Retracing her footsteps, she stopped. She turned, Tornwhisker was padding over. "hi" he mewed. "Tornwhisker" she mewed, quietly. "please dont tell" he mewed. Nighttail and Darkthorn exanged glances, then nodded. Darkthorn ducked into the warrior's den, leaping in her nest. She curled up, ready to dream. She felt a push on her back, she opened her eyes to see Brackenheart patting her with his paw. "Hey!You finally woke" he meowed. "Dawn patrol" Darkthorn leaped to her paws. Squeasing out of the warrior den, Brackenheart and Grayflame at her tail, she stopped, letting Brackenheart take lead. Following Brackenheart, she sniffed the air. Thunderclan's border wasnt marked yet, but she could smell a patrol coming. Brackenheart stopped, signalling Grayflame and Darkthorn to stop. One thunderclan cat came out. It was a large tabby tom. Brambleheart and the patrol padded away when the tom ignored them. Bramblewhisker padded over to Darkthorn. "Darkthorn" he mewed Darkthorn looked at him, wondering what he could want. "lets take a walk" he mewed. "if thats alright" Darkthorn swallowed her exitement, and nodded. What could he want? ''She followed him out the entrance. She sped up, now by his side, she asked, "what is it?" she meowed. "well, Darkthorn, i was wondering.." he stammered. "Darkthorn, i like you" Darkthorn felt as if she would die of happiness. "i like you to, Bramblewhisker" she mewed. Leaning against him, she purred. She heard him purr, too. "Darkthorn, will you be my mate?" Chapter four ''Darkthorn rolled on her ''back. "be carefull, Darkthorn, dont squish the kits!" Streamfur, her new denmate, pointed to the kits. Darkthorn had moved into the nursery last moon. She was expecting Bramblewhisker's kits. "sorry" she mewed. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here benieth high rock for a clan meeting!" she heard a yowl from the clearing. Getting to her paws, she padded out. She sat by Bramblewhisker. She noticed Grayflame staring at her and Bramblewhisker, anger in her eyes. She sighed. Grayflame hadnt said a word to her ever since her and Bramblewhisker became mates. She looked up at Birchstar. "Iceheart has had a sign!" Birchstar announced. "dogs are loose close to camp!" he yowled. Many gasps sounded in the clearing. "n-near camp?" Streamfur shivered. "We need to fight it off!" Nighttail yowled. Birchstar raised his tail for silence. Once the clearing was quiet, he continued. "Rainpool, your the fastest runner. Lead the dog away from the camp. Bramblewhisker, take Cinderfur and Tornwhisker to give it a scare, it wont forget" Birchstar paused. "and bring Rushpaw and Moonpaw" he finished. "were bringing apprentices?" Nighttail gasped. "what if they die or get hurt!?" Grayflame meowed. "They wont" Birchstar meowed. "because they have been training well for the past moons" Darkthorn leaned on Bramblewhisker, and meowed. "be carefull" she mewed. "I will" he touched noses with her. When the gathering departed, Darkthorn watched Bramblewhisker lead her clanmates off. "Darkthorn!" Iceheart padded over. "yes?" Darkthorn mewed. "You should go rest-" Iceheart didnt finish. "Ive been resting all moon!" Darkthorn complained. "Your kits can come any day now! Go rest! Now!" Iceheart snapped. Darkthorn heard a purr as Streamfur and Whiskerheart padded over. "Come on, Darkthorn. No point in resisting" Whiskerheart meowed softly. Darkthorn sighed. She knew they were right. She nodded and followed them into the nursery. Darkthorn charged around camp. Her kits were almost dew, but she had too much energy to stay in one spot. "Darkthorn!" Streamfur followed her. "you need to rest!" she meowed. "Geez, im just going for a walk!" Darkthorn protested. "No, your not!" Iceheart stepped infront of her. Darkthorn saw anger in the medicine cat's blue eyes. Iceheart nudged Darkthorn back in the medicine den. "Im not letting anything happen to you! Your kits are almost coming, mouse brain! They might even come tomorrow!" Iceheart yowled furiously. Darkthorn sighed, nodded, and curled in her nest. Darkthorn watched the kits charge outside the nursery, until she couldnt see them. Bramblewhisker ducked into the nursery and sat by his mate. "hi, Darkthorn" he mewed. She sat up, purring. "Hi" she meowed. She touched noses with him. "Follow me" he whispered. She nodded. Following him outside, he sat down, she sat next to him. They looked up at silverpelt. "I never got a chance to ask you" he mewed. "How did you always like ''me, ''when i always liked you? I mean, I never knew you liked me." Darkthorn looked at him. She purred and mewed. "Because i was never around for you to notice" Chapter five ''Darkthorn watched as her ''new kits, Rainkit, Hollykit and Thornkit, now a week old, played in the nursery. Streamfur nudged Darkthorn, and to Darkthorn's suprise, she said, "I'll watch the kits. Go out in the clearing, or do something." The she-cat liked Darkthorn being in the den, and avoided Darkthorn from leaving as much as possable, although Darkthorn didnt understand why. Darkthorn nodded thankfully and pushed out of the nursery. Darkthorn padded over to Rainpool and Stormfall, who were sharing tounges. "Good morning, Darkthorn. Have a break from kits?" Rainpool meowed. "Ive been stuck in there," she lowered her voice so Streamfur wouldnt hear, "because streamfur wouldnt let me out." Rainpool nodded, and said something else, but Darkthorn didnt listen. She saw Bramblewhisker sneaking out of camp, looking guilty and as if he didnt want anyone to see him. ''What secret could he be keeping? ''Darkthorn slid away from Stormfall and Rainpool without a word and followed her mate out of the entrance. She followed his scent track across, witch seemed to be leading to...''thunderclan? '' When Darkthorn found Bramblewhisker, he was at thunderclan border with a she-cat. Darkthorn stared at them anger burning her pelt as he rubbed against her. She felt she was on fire when she noisily sprang off, a mixture of sadness, anger and confustion tugging at her heart every moment and every pawstep. Had he been with the she-cat from the begining? She felt used, as if Bramblewhisker had used her to lead every cat away from any detail or possibility that he could be with that silver she-cat she saw. Did streamfur know? Was that why Streamfur kept her in the nursery? Did streamfur want her to figure out now? Questions confused her as she rushed through the entrance, ignoring the clan that fell silent when she pelted in, and Darkthorn pounded off in the nursery. Streamfur looked up from her nest. "Darkthorn," Sadness showed in the she-cat's eyes. "Is this what you wanted me to know? Why did you hide it from me?" Darkthorn sat in her nest, turning away from the queen. "Im sorry Darkthorn, i had to keep his secret, although i felt it was wrong and i wanted you to know now." Darkthorn sighed when Thornkit's brown eyes looked up at Darkthorn, confustion in the kits eyes. He looked just like Bramblewhisker, with a brown pelt, lighter brown muzzle and stomach, and dark stripes running down his legs, back and tail, along with ears. "Darkthorn? A-are you ok?" Darkthorn watched the little kit without a word, nor nod, nor response. "She will be fine, Thornkit." Darkthorn watched Silverfur scoop the kit with her tail. Just then, she heard Bramblewhisker rushing in camp, she heard him prodding over talking to rainpool, then to Grayflame, but she didnt listen and instead, she rolled over and closed her eyes. *`*`*`*`*`* Darkthorn sat outside the nursery. She had only talked to Rainpool and Streamfur for 7 sunrises, and gossip of what could be wrong spread through the clan. She guessed Bramblewhisker figured out that she knew, because he tried to talk to her more then any of her clanmates, and she never replied. She just turned away and left. When he said to her, "look, im sorry!" she turned away and replied, "no, no your not." but that was almost seven sunrises ago. At gathering, she only talked to her cousin, Darkpaw. Every sunrise her clanmates grew more and more worried about her, but she ignored the fact that it wasnt her fault. Every time she talked so a cat, besides Streamfur and Rainpool, she belived they just wanted to know what was wrong, and werent worried about her. But then Streamfur and her had a talk, and she relized they were worried about her more then what worried her, the cat who was used by her own mate. "She cant ignore me forever! Shes my mate!" Darkthorn heard Bramblewhisker yowling to Streamfur. "No, Bramblewhisker, she was. Dont you relize what happens when you use a cats life like it never matters, and it never did? She loved you, and you had your chance." Streamfur replied. "But i do love her, But.. but i also love..." He lowered his voice, but Darkthorn still heard. "but i also love Brightpelt. Why cant my life be... simple?" Darkthorn flicked her ear. So that was the she-cat's name. Brightpelt, the name she would forever hate. Darkthorn built up her emotions into a ball that got stuck in her throat, but she padded over behind Bramblewhisker anyway. "So you are sorry?" Bramblewhisker spun around, now Darkthorn was face-to-face with him. "yes!" He almost yowled. Many cats in the clearing looked around. "''truly ''sorry?" Darkthorn pressed. "Yes, Darkthorn, yes!" Darkthorn took a step back. "then i forgive you, but on one condistion we can continue to be.. mates" Darkthorn meowed. Bramblewhisker nodded. "you must never meet Brightpelt secretly again." Bramblewhisker stared at her, his eyes were full of slight pain, and for once she wished she regreted to hurt the tom. "I..I-" he stammered, when Darkthorn inturupted, "i guess you dont want me that bad then." Streamfur fit in now. "Bramblewhisker, If you love darkthorn at all, make that promise." Streamfur and Bramblewhisker held a gaze. "I understand." he mewed. "I promise..." He paused, quetly mewing, "i promise to never meet...her....again." "Thornkit, Rainkit, Hollykit!" Darkthorn called. The three kits rushed over. "Streamfur and i are going out, so Whiskerhearts watching you." The three kits glanced at eachother, then Hollykit mewed. "but your out all the time! Cant you stay for one time?" Darkthorn bent down and touched the kit's nose. "Im not going to be gona long." Darkthorn replied. Hollykit sighed, and Thornkit led the other kit's to Whiskerheart, while Darkthorn slipped out of the clearing where Streamfur was waiting, Cinderfur was beside her. Darkthorn stared at Cinderfur for a second then padded over. "what is it?" she meowed. "come" Cinderfur flicked her tail, and Darkthorn followed her and Streamfur out of camp. They followed her for a while, until they reached the training hollow. "what is it?" Darkthorn mewed. "Darkthorn, well, we've both been thinking..." Streamfur began. "...we've discovered that Birchstar is on his last life, and incase you havent noticed," Cinderfur meowed, "hes been really weak and...unconsintrated." Streamfur finished. Darkthorn nodded. The leader was shaky and never out of the den lately, but she never thought anything of it, cause she never seen the leader often when she moved in the nursery. "your point i-" Darkthorn began, "hes sick. Or something, something's wrong, And... and, but, i dont know what. Okay?" Streamfur mewed. "Im sorry, but what can i do? nothing." Darkthorn meowed. "but you can do something!" Cinderfur paused then mewed quetly, "do you really think.. that Brackenheart would be a good leader?" Chapter six Darkthorn woke to a yowl of fear-several yowls followed after that. leaping to her paws, she pushed her kits down in the moss then leaped outside the nursery. Riverclan had attacked camp. Darkthorn rushed to protect the nursery as Rainpool raced to her side. Together, the two she-cat friends fought side-by-side to protect the clan. Claws flashed everywhere, carelessly forming cuts along Darkthorn's legs, side and back. Darkthorn dodged a cat leaping at her and pounced on the red tom who had made the long, half-hearted leap. She felt claws rip deeply into her shoulder as another figure flashed twords her. She tried to find Rainpool's white pelt, but she was drowned in yowls of agony and pain, She screeched at the deep cut on her shoulder, seeing more claws ripping their way into her flesh. She tried to escape the grasp of one of the cats, but she couldnt find energy to dodge, or even try. As a cat made his way to a final blow, a cat lept at her claws stretched forward aiming at her throat, she managed to escape the tom who held her scruff, but there was no way out when claws dashed twords her throat. She closed her eyes, waiting a second, she felt no pain. Was she already dead? No. she could still hear screeches. But they were far... until a yowl of pain rose loudly infront of her. She opened her eyes to see Rainpool's bloody white pelt stand in front of her. Rainpool then was falling. She couldnt save her friend, or could she save a single cat here. She felt useless as the she-cat dropped on the ground, blood gushing from her wounded throat. "No!" Screeched Darkthorn, but it was to late. She was dead. Fury spilled in Darkthorn as she lept at the cat who killed her friend, and she sank her teeth in his throat. She knew she was breaking the code. She knew she was killing a cat. She didnt care. This cat knew he broke the code when he killed rainpool, and when he tried to kill her. So she sank her teeth deeper, ignoring his shrieak of fear and pain. Darkthorn stood over the windclan cat's body, heartlessly, she turned to Rainpool's. Although she knew there was no time for grief, she stuck her nose in her friend's fur. But she stood there only seconds before she pulled her head away and raced to her leaders side. Birchstar was fighting two tabby toms. Darkthorn grabbed the scruff of one that was holding onto the leader's shoulder. She tore the tom off, only to be tackled by the other tabby. She rolled over and knocked down the heavy tom and scrambled to her paws quickly. She sank her teeth into his leg and he yowled. Letting go of the tom she looked around. Shadowclan was winning. Hearing a yowl behind her, she twisted around. One of the toms was holding Birchstar's throat, tightly. Darkthorn screeched and slammed into the tom, ripping the tabby off Birchstar. Darkthorn sank her teeth in the tabby's scruff and shook him dizzy, then threw him on the ground, racing to her leader's aid. "Birchstar!" She yowled. Before she could move, the other tabby tom slammed her to the ground before the world went black. As she screeched, "Birchstar!" she thought, ''How could Starclan be so cruel? Darkthorn sat in the clearing,watching Rainpool's and Birchfall's bodys be dragged in the clearing. Darkthorn looked up to the bright white moon. Just then she felt a drop of cold water splash her nose. Water began to run down her fur in variable places, and she turned away to disapear into the warrior's den. She then decided to start sleeping in the warriors den and go back to warriors duties. The clan would now need her more then ever. Chapter seven "Brackenstar! Brackenstar!" Darkthorn and the rest of the clan called. It was time for Brackenstar to choose a deputy. Brackenstar seemed to wait for the noise to die out, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Birchstar has passed, and it is i who has become the new leader." Brackenstar meowed loudly, drowning out last cheers. "and it is time for me to choose my deputy!" He paused. "Darkthorn will be the new deputy of Shadowclan!" He announced. Darkthorn stared at him. He couldnt be serious! Could he? Darkthorn stared at him astonished as cheers came loudly across the clearing. No cat seemed to be objecting, despite the fact that she never had a apprentice.